Fire extinguishing equipment



June 25, 1940. LE oy ASHMQRE 2,205,710

FIRE EXTINGUISHING EQUIPMENT Original Filed Aug. 50, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet1 June 0- LE ROY ASHMORE FIRE EXTINGUISHING EQUIPMENT Original FiledAug. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uywcwim DIE/L M m, fi m/@011 Y 42111 mflllllw Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STE Application August 30, 1935,Serial No. 38,787

Renewed March 19, 1938 20 Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguishing equipment and hasparticular relation to equipment of the character described speciallydesigned for extinguishing the fire of an oil or gas well in case thesame should. become ignited.

An object of the invention is to provide equipment of the characterdescribed which is portable and which may be readily located adjacent aburning well, and is of such form that the workmen may work adjacent thewell and at the same time be protected from the intense heat of thefire.

Another object of the invention is to provide equipment of the characterdescribed embodying a track, a truck mounted to move along said track, aturret mounted to rotate on a vertical axis on the truck, and havingsufficient space therein to contain the workmen, and a boom rotatablymounted on the turret and pro-vided for containing a valve controlledextension pipe and to move the same into alignment with the well pipefor connection to the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide in equipment of thecharacter described, a turret containing a work chamber for containingthe workmen, said turret having surrounding spaces in the walls thereoffor circulating water and. air, with provision for supplying outside airinto the chamber and for relieving said air from the chamber to preventexcess air pressure within the work chamber.

A further object is to provide means whereby the workmen within thechamber may move the turret back and forth along'the track or may rotatethe turret as well as means whereby the workmen in the chamber maymanipulate the boom or the extension pipe therein.

A still further feature resides in the provision of a turret forenclosing and protecting workmen having port holes through which workmay be carried on and which may be opened or closed in the usual way.

The invention also comprehends means for circulating the cooling fluid,such as water.

through the tracks, as well as through the boom and through theextension pipe housing, provision being made for spraying the equipmentwith water so as to keep the temperature thereof reduced.

With the above and other objects in view. the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation, andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the apparatus, part ly in section.

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation, also shown partly in section.

Fig. 3 shows a plan view, partly in section.

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary'side view of the extension pipe, partly insection, shown in its relation to the housing and having the innersection of said housing removed, and

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeralsI, I, designate suitable tracks which are con: nected by tubularcross-members 2. As shown in Fig. 2, these tracks may be formed ofchannel irons spaced apart, but anchored together by the upper and lowertransverse webs 3, l, which may a be welded thereto so as to form theenclosed channels 5. The webs 3 are located slightly beneath the upperedges of the channels so as to form the grooves 8 along which the truckwheels hereinafter referred to may move. One end of each track has ahose connection 7 controlled by a suitable valve, as shown, and theseconnections are provided for the attachment of suitable hose theretoleading from a source of pressure whereby water may be circulatedthrough the tracks and the webs 3 have perforations 8 through whichwater may be sprayed over said tracks to keep them cool.

The cross-braces 2 are tubular and are connected into the channels 5whereby water may be circulated through them.

Mounted on the track there is a suitable supporting truck comprising theplatform 9 and the wheels it arranged to run in the grooves 6. A turretH is mounted to rotate on a vertical axis on the truck. This turret maybe of any selected shape, but is preferably of a semi-cylindricalcontour, as shown in Fig. 3, andis provided with a door l2 for accessthereto. This turret is preferably composed of sheet metal, but is linedwith asbestos It, or with similar insulating material. The side wallsand top of the turret are surrounded by an air circulating space M andoutside of this space there is the water circulating space It extendingaround the walls and through the top and bottom of the turret. Thesespaces may be separated by a partition of asbestos or the like. Theturret is of sufficient size to provide a work chamber l 6 forcontaining the workmen, and leading from the air space M inwardly intosaid chamber are the ports l 7, ll, through which fresh air maycontinuously enter the work chamber, and said chamber it is providedwith a relief valve I8 for relieving the air so that the air pressure inthe work chamber will -not become too great. Airv may be admitted intothe air chamber M through the valve-controlled hose connection l9, andwater may be admitted in to the water chamber I5 through thevalve-controlled hose connection 253. Suitable metal jacketed hose maybe attached to the connections is, 20, and to a suitable source ofsupply. The top of the turret is provided with suitable outlet ports 2|through which water from the chamber i5 may be sprayed over the turret.I

Fixed on the cross-braces 2, between and in alignment with the tracks i,is a rack bar 22, and in mesh with the teeth of this bar there is a gearwheel 23 arranged underneath the truck and fixed to a vertical shaft Mwhich extends up through the platform 9 and through the bottom of theturret and whose upper end .has the handwheel 25 fixed thereon. Byrotating the shaft 24, the truck and turret may be moved back and forthon the tracks i toward and from the well containing the pipe 26.

Fixed on the platform 9 of the truck there is also a circular rackmember 21 and in mesh therewith, there is a spur gear wheel 28 which isfixed on the vertical shaft 29. This shaft extends up through a suitablebearing in thebottom of the turret and has a handwheel 3t fixed thereonwithin said turret. By a rotation of the handwheel 30, the turret may besuitably rotated about its vertical axis.

The turret may be mounted to rotate on suitable anti-friction bearings39. Mounted on the top of the turret there is a boom having the circularyoke 32 and the outwardly extended spaced side arms 33, 33, all formedtubular to provide the water circulating channel 34 therethrough. Theside arms are connected by the cross-bar 35, also formed tubular. Theyoke 32 is mounted to rotate on the bearings 36 which are supported onthe race-way 31 on top of the turret, and the yoke is provided with adepending hub '33 which extends down through the top of the turret andhas a spur gear wheel 39 fixed thereon. This spur gear wheel is in meshwith a similar smaller gear 40 which is fixed on the shaft 4! and fixedon the shaft 4! is a hand wheel .32. By the rotation of the hand wheelif, the gear 3t and the hub to which it is fixed may be rotated, thusswinging the boom from side to side, as desired.

Depending from the side arms 33, 33, are the tubular guides 43, 63,through which the channel 34 also extends whereby water may becirculated through said guides. Between the guides 43, there is asectional tubular housing designated generally by the numeral M. Thishousing is preferably formed of two complemental sections which arearcuate in cross-section, and have the outwardly turned coincidingmarginal flanges which may be secured together by the bolts 65. Thishousing is designed to receive and support an extension pipe 46 to beconnected onto the :well pipe 25, and this extension pipe may becontrolled by a suitable hand-operated valve ill. The housing Ml isshaped to closely surround the pipe it, and to enclose said valve and isprovided with a bearing :38 through which the stem of the valve 41works. The outer end of said stem has thehand-wheel 49 thereonaccessible to the workmen in the turret. At the upper end of the housing44 there is mounted a pulley 50,

and a cable 5! is attached at one end to the crossbar 35 and passesaround underneath the pulley 50 and over a similar pulley 52 which ismounted on said cross-bar 35 and passes thence over a pulley 53 which ismounted on the yoke 32 and Gil said cable passes thence downwardlythrough a sprayed over the boom, and this channel 34 may be suppliedwith Water from suitable steel jacketed hose connected to the hoseconnection 57.

The housing 44 has oppositely aranged vertical ribs 5?, 5?, which movebetween the inwardly extended flanges 58, 58, carried by the guides 63,and the ribs are provided with vertical slots 59 through which the rods66 pass, the ends of said rods being anchored to the flanges 58.

In use, the apparatus is located as near to the burning oil or gas wellas conditions will permit, with the track directed toward the well andwith the turret at the end of track remote from the well so that itmaybe readily entered.

The workmen may enter the turret through the door l2 and then propel theturret toward the well, as hereinabove explained. The housing 4 3 andthe extension pipe ll? therein will be maintained in their elevatedpositions until said extension pipe ii is swung around into alignmentwith and above the pipe 25. This may be done by turning the handwheel 42as hereinabove explained. When the extension pipe 46 is aligned abovethe well pipe, the extension pipe and housing therefor may be lowered bymeans of the cable M, as indicated, until the extension pipe rests uponthe upper end of the well pipe. Thereupon the escaping gas or oil willflow up through the extension pipe and the flame will thereafter be at'the top of the extension pipe a sufficient distance above the ground topermit workmen to work about the mouth of the well, and the extensionpipe may then be welded on to the well pipe, or otherwise connectedthereto. When this is done, the valve ll may be closed and the fire thusextinguished. Any other means for connecting the extension pipe 46 tothe well pipe 2E than by welding may be employed in accordance with thecircumstances.

The front part of the turret has the transverse window 6! and the portholes 2 beneath said eted so as to withstand the heat to which it will 1be subjected.

When the fire has been extinguished, the housing 44 may be taken apartand readily removed from the extension pipe 46, and the equipment thenremoved from the location, leaving the well under control.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be apreferred formof the invention by way of illustration only, while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Fire extinguishing equipment for oil and gas wells comprising atrack, a turret mounted to move along the track and to rotate about avertical axis, a boom mounted on the turret and extended laterallytherefrom and. revolvable about the vertical axis, means for circulatinga cooling fluid through the turret and boom and means suspended from theboom for connection to the well pipe whereby said well pipe may beclosed.

2. In equipment of the character described, a turret containing a Workchamber and having walls provided witha water circulating chamber and anair circulating chamber about the work chamber.

3. In equipment of the character described, a turret containing a workchamber and having walls provided with a water circulating chamber andan air circulating chamber about the work chamber, said air circulatingchamber having a port leading into the work chamber, and the workchamber having a valve-controlled relief outlet.

4. In equipment of the character described, a turret containing a workchamber and whose walls have a water circulating chamber around the workchamber, the turret having ports leading out from said water circulatingchamber, and means for supplying water to said circulating chamber.

5. In equipment of the character described, a housing containing a workchamber, the wall of the housing having an air circulating chambei aboutthe work chamber, provided with a port through which air may pass intothe work chamber, means for introducing air into said air chamber, saidwork chamber having a valve-controlled relief outlet.

6. A fire extinguishing equipment comprising a track having watercirculating channels therethrough provided with discharge ports, a truckmounted, to move along said track, a housing mounted to rotate about avertical axis on said truck and having a work chamber therein, means forpropelling the truck along said track, said means being accessible foroperation within the work chamber, means for rotating the housing aboutits vertical axis.

7. A fire extinguishing equipment comprising a track having watercirculating channels therethrough provided with discharge ports,- atruck mounted to move along said track, a housing mounted to rotateabout a vertical axis on said truck and having a work chamber therein,means for propelling the truck along said track, said means beingaccessible for operation within the work chamber, means for rotating thehousing about its vertical axis, a boom swingable about a vertical axisand mounted on the turret, a supporting housing for an extension pipesuspended from the boom and means operable from within the work chamberfor swinging the boom to move said housing to a selected location.

8. Equipment of the character described com prising a track, a housingmovable along the track and containing a work chamber, means forcirculating cooling fluid about said chamber and a boom mounted on thehousing to pivot about a vertical axis.

9. Equipment of the character described comprising a track havingpassageways therethrough for the circulation of a cooling fluid andprovided with ports through which the tracks may be sprayed with saidfluid, a housing mounted to move along said track and containing a workchamber, means for circulating a cooling fluid about said chamber, saidhousing having ports through which the housing may be sprayed with saidcooling fluid, a boom mounted to pivot about the vertical axis on saidhousing and having depending guides, said boom and guides havingchannels for the circulation of the cooling fluid therethrough.

10. Equipment or the character described comprising a track havingpassageways therethrough for the circulation of a cooling fluid andprovided with ports through which the track may be sprayed with saidfluid, a housing mounted to move along said track and containing a workchamber, means for circulating a cooling fluid about said chamber, saidhousing having ports through which the housing may be sprayed with saidcooling fluid, a boom mounted to pivot about the vertical. axis on saidhousing and having depending guides, said boom and guides havingchannels for the circulation of the cooling fluid therethrough, ahousing vertically movable between said guides and shaped to contain anextension pipe and means accessible for operation within the workchamber and connected to said last-mentioned housing and operative toadjust the same vertically.

11. In equipment of the character described, an extension pipe formedwith a valve casing and having a valve in said casing, a sectionalhousing surrounding the extension pipe and shaped to receive the valvecasing and having a bearing in which the valve stem may operate.

12. In equipment of the character described, an extension pipe formedwith a valve casing and having a valve in said casing, a sectionalhousing surrounding the extension pipe and shaped to receive the valvecasing and having a bearing in which the valve stem may operate, saidhousing being formed with internal channels for the circulation of acooling fluid therethrough.

13. Equipment of the character described comprising a carriage, ahousing mounted on the carriage and containing a work chamber, means forcirculating a cooling fluid about said chamber, said housing havingports through which the housing may be sprayed with said fluid, a boommounted to pivot about anapproximately Vertical axis on the housing andhaving a depending guide, a housing vertically movable on the guide andshaped to contain an extension pipe and means accessible for operationwithin the work chamber and connected to said last mentioned housing andeffective to adjust the same vertically.

14. Equipment of the character described comprising a carriage, a waterjacketed housing mounted on the carriage and containing a work chamber,a boom mounted on the housing and having depending guide means, meansvertically movable on the guide means and shaped to engage an extensionpipe, means accessible for operation within the work chamber andconnected to said vertically movable means and effective to move thesame vertically.

15. In a firefighting machine, a housing containing a work chamber, awater jacket insulating nected into the fluid jacket and forming meansfor supplying fluid to said circulating chamber, and a well controldevice associated with the housing.

17. In a firefighting machine, a housing containing a work chamber, afluid jacket associated with the Work chamber and forming a circulatingchamber, conduits leading from the fluid jacket chamber and formingmeans for supplying water to said circulating chamber and mobile meansfor supporting the housing, and a fire fighting device controlled fromwithin the housing.

18. In a firefighting machine, a housing containing a work chamber, afluid jacket associated With the work chamber and enclosing acirculating chamber, conduits connected with the circulating chamber andforming means for supplying'water to said circulating chamber, a boomassociated with the housing, and well control equipment associated withthe boom.

19. In a firefighting machine, a housing containing a work chamber, afluid jacket enclosing a circulating chamber around the work chamber,conduits connected into the circulating chamber, means for supplyingwater to said circulating chamber, mobile means for supporting thehousing, a boom associated with the housing, and well control equipmentassociated with the boom.

20. Equipment of the character described comprising a carriage, ahousing containing a work chamber mounted on the carriage, a boommounted on the housing to rotate in a horizontal plane, water and airjackets containing circulating chambers associated with the housing andthe boom, guide means depending from the boom and a fire-fighting toolon the guide means.

LE ROY ASHMORE.

